The Coronavirus Task Force hasn't held a press briefing since late April, and now a White House official says it may be disbanded. Wochit
While countries including the United States struggle with the growing number of coronavirus cases, others have slowed them or haven’t reported a single one since the virus was first discovered in December.
New Zealand recorded its first day with no new coronavirus cases Monday, according to the country’s Ministry of Health. As of Wednesday, the country has 1,488 confirmed and probable cases and 21 deaths.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization confirmed to USA TODAY that some countries haven’t reported any cases of COVID-19: Comoros, Lesotho, Turkmenistan, North Korea, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue and Palau.
Are these countries impervious to the coronavirus?
The majority of nations that haven't reported any cases of the coronavirus are isolated island chains in the Pacific.
Dr. Thomas Tsai, assistant professor of health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said these islands were mostly spared the coronavirus because countries in Asia were quickly locked down, preventing travel and tourism.
However, that isn't the case for North Korea, Turkmenistan and Lesotho, which all share borders with countries that have reported coronavirus cases.
North Korea
Despite its 880-mile border with China, North Korea still claims to have had zero infections. China is North Korea’s biggest trading partner, accounting for as much as 95% of the country’s reported imports, according to 38 North, a website that tracks the country’s developments.
“It’s a near impossibility for them not have cases,” said Jung H. Pak, a former CIA analyst and North Korea expert with the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
Pak and other experts say there's evidence of at least a small-scale COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea, a country where much of the population is already in poor health, the economy is crippled and the health system is abysmal.
The true picture of how widespread COVID-19 is inside North Korea will probably never be clear. North Korea is one of the world's most secretive, repressive and authoritarian countries in the world, and the regime's propaganda machine controls the flow of information.
![In a photo taken on February 16, 2021 members of Mansudae Art Troupe perform a music and dance routine marking 79th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's birth, a day known in North Korea as the 'Day of the Shining Star', at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre in Pyongyang.]()
1 of 200![Staff of the Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 disinfect the store before it opens in Pyongyang, North Korea Monday, Dec. 28, 2020.]()
2 of 200![People wearing face masks leave after laying flowers before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the 108th birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, known as the 'Day of the Sun', in Pyongyang on April 15, 2020.]()
3 of 200![People wearing face masks lay flowers before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the 108th birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, known as the 'Day of the Sun', in Pyongyang on April 15, 2020.]()
4 of 200![Workers of Songyo Knitwear Factory in Pyongyang produce masks for protection against the new coronavirus on Feb. 6, 2020.]()
5 of 200![A health worker sprays disinfectant on the hands of a woman amid concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus at an entrance of the Pyongchon District People's Hospital in Pyongyang on April 1, 2020.]()
6 of 200![People review information explaining the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Phyongchon District People's Hospital in Pyongyang, North Korea, April, 1, 2020.]()
7 of 200![A worker checks bottles of new disinfectant products on a production line at the Ryongaksan Soap Factory in Pyongyang on March 19, 2020.]()
8 of 200![A woman helps her daughter seen wearing a face mask in Pyongyang on Feb. 6, 2020.]()
9 of 200![The afternoon sun casts the shadow of a man at Ryomyong street in Pyongyang, North Korea on Nov. 25, 2019.]()
10 of 200![A picture released on November 25, 2019 by North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows Kim Jong-Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, posing for a photo with members of a women's company under Unit 5492 of the Korean People's Army stationed at a remote seaside on the southwestern front, North Korea.]()
11 of 200![A man reads while waiting for a train as a statue of late North Korean President Kim Il Sung is seen in the background at Kaeson subway station in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019.]()
12 of 200![People walk past a shop that sells toys in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019.]()
13 of 200![A man buys cosmetics on Mothers' Day in Pyongyang, North Korea Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019.]()
14 of 200![People celebrate Mothers' Day in Pyongyang, North Korea Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019.]()
15 of 200![This guide stands before the Samjiyon grand monument in Samjiyon, Sept. 13, 2019. The construction project ordered by leader Kim Jong Un, involves the rebuilding of the entire town of Samjiyon. The plan includes a museum of revolutionary activities, a winter sports training complex, processing plants for blueberries and potatoes which are two of the area's most important crops. ]()
16 of 200![In this undated photo provided on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rides a white horse to climb Mount Paektu, North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency.]()
17 of 200![Students pose for photos in Chonji lake, or 'Heaven lake', as they visit the crater of Mount Paektu, near Samjiyon, Sept. 11, 2019. ]()
18 of 200![PedestriaPedestrians shield themselves from wind and rain brought by Typhoon Lingling, Sept. 7, 2019, in Pyongyang. The typhoon passed along South Korea’s coast has toppled trees, grounded planes and caused at least two deaths before making landfall. ]()
19 of 200![A child drives a toy car across Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang as North Korea marked the 71st anniversary of its foundation, with a public holiday, Sept. 9, 2019. ]()
20 of 200![A woman and her children wait for a bus at a stop on Mirae Scientist Street in Pyongyang, Sept. 12, 2019.]()
21 of 200![North Koreans play at Munsu Waterpark in Pyongyang, July 17, 2019.]()
22 of 200![North Koreans play at Munsu Waterpark in Pyongyang, July 17, 2019.]()
23 of 200![Swimmers ride a water slide at the Munsu water park in Pyongyang, june 16, 2019. ]()
24 of 200![ Commuters ride a bus past the portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on June 18, 2019. Commuters ride a bus past the portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on June 18, 2019.]()
25 of 200![A conductor updates a newspaper stand in a subway train station in Pyongyang on June 18, 2019.]()
26 of 200![Tourists from China pose for photos before the Three Charters monument in Pyongyang June 14, 2019. Ordinary Chinese pay travel companies around $360.00 for a standard three-day trip to North Korea, arriving overland by train to tour the capital's highlights, from the Arch of Triumph to Kim Il Sung Square. ]()
27 of 200![Swimmers rest beside a wave pool at the Munsu water park in Pyongyang, june 19, 2019. ]()
28 of 200![A swimmer rides a water slide at the Munsu water park in Pyongyang, June 16, 2019. ]()
29 of 200![Students hold cards to form pattern of smiling face of an old man during the mass game performance of "The Land of the People" at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, Friday, June 7, 2019.]()
30 of 200![Dancers play with rings during the mass game performance "The Land of the People" at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, Friday, June 7, 2019.]()
31 of 200![Girls in penguin costumes perform before the start of games during an International Children's Day event in Pyongyang, North Korea Saturday, June 1, 2019.]()
32 of 200![This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on June 1, 2019 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un posing with schoolchildren during his visit to the 250-mile Journey for Learning Schoolchildren's Palace in Jagang province in North Korea.]()
33 of 200![Farmers transplant rice seedlings in a field in Chongsan-ri, Kangso district, Nampho, North Korea, Sunday, May 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Cha Song Ho) ORG XMIT: OTK]()
34 of 200![Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers stand before a bride and groom during a wedding photo shoot at a park in Pyongyang on April 18, 2019.]()
35 of 200![A bride and groom jump over a skipping rope as they pose during a wedding photo shoot at a park in Pyongyang on April 18, 2019.]()
36 of 200![In a photo taken on April 11, 2018, a performance troupe from Russia arrives at the opening of the "April Spring Friendship Art Festival" outside a theatre in Pyongyang.]()
37 of 200![A woman wiper her eyes as she waits to pay her respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, as part of celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, known as the 'Day of the Sun', on Mansu hill in Pyongyang on April 15, 2019.]()
38 of 200![The First Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea meets at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on April 11, 2019.]()
39 of 200![Visitors tour the 21st Kimilsungia Festival opens marking the birthday anniversary of President Kim Il Sung at the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Exhibition Friday, April 12th, 2019, in Pyongyang, North Korea.]()
40 of 200![A competitor interacts with a child on a road side during the annual 'Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon' in Pyongyang, April 7, 2019.]()
41 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Taesong Department Store in this photo released April, 8, 2019.]()
42 of 200![Competitors run past the Ryugyong hotel during the annual Pyongyang marathon, April 7, 2019. There were twice as many in this years race than last. as last year ran in the city's annual maratho]()
43 of 200![An airport worker walks across a bridge near Sunan international airport outside Pyongyang, March 12, 2019.]()
44 of 200![This is the Fifth Meeting of Company Leaders and Political Instructors of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang, March 27, 2019.]()
45 of 200![People walk past a kiosk that sells snacks in Pyongyang, March 9, 2019. Kiosks like these are a common sight around the city, some selling food, drinks and even artificial flowers.]()
46 of 200![A worker walks among stacks of food at Kumkhop Trading Co. food factory in Pyongyang, March 13, 2019.]()
47 of 200![Girls wait for their turn to perform a dance during the election day at a polling station in Pyongyang, March 10, 2019.]()
48 of 200![A couple pose as they have their wedding photo taken at an indoor swimming pool in Pyongyang, March 13, 2019.]()
49 of 200![A boy holding a toy rifle stands before a taxi on a street in Pyongyang, March 11, 2019.]()
50 of 200![A commuter stands before a copy of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showing an image of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un casting his ballot at the 14th Supreme People's Assembly elections, on display at a subway station in Pyongyang, March 11, 2019.]()
51 of 200![Members of a Socialist Women's Union propaganda troupe perform a dance and music routine in front of the Ryugyong hotel in Pyongyang, March 9, 2019.]()
52 of 200![Students participate in a "mass dance" as part of celebrations marking the birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, known as the "Day of the Shining Star", in Pyongyang, Feb. 16, 2019.]()
53 of 200![A man waters a pine tree on Munsu Hill as North Korea marks "tree-planting day" in Pyongyang, March 1, 2019.]()
54 of 200![Students read the Rodong Sinmun newspaper coverage of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un visiting Vietnam for a summit in Hanoi with President Donald Trump, on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, Feb. 28, 2019.]()
55 of 200![A television screen shows a news announcer introducing coverage of a visit to Vietnam by North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, on a street in Pyongyang, March 1, 2019.]()
56 of 200![In this picture taken on March 5, 2019 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) waves to the crowd of welcomers uppon his arrival at the Pyongyang Station after the Vietnam summit. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / South Korea OUT / ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS / THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE --- / KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: AFP_1E80FV]()
57 of 200![North Korean men ice fish on a frozen lake in Nampo, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019.]()
58 of 200![North Korean women use a pedestrian crossing as the top of pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel, a major landmark in the capital city, is seen in the background in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019.]()
59 of 200![North Korean men ride their bicycles in Nampo, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019.]()
60 of 200![North Koreans men walk with a background of West Sea Barrage in Nampo, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. West Sea Barrage was built in the 80s to separate Taedong River from the sea to prevent sea water intrusion into the river.]()
61 of 200![North Koreans walk past a mural of their late leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and his son Kim Jong Il in Nampo, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019.]()
62 of 200![North Korean men ride their bicycles past propaganda banners in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, Feb. 1, 2019.]()
63 of 200![A North Korean woman works at Ryuwon Shoe Factory that specializes in sports footwear, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, Feb. 1, 2019.]()
64 of 200![A student sings in front of a green screen during a computer graphics class at Pyongyang Teachers' University, a teacher training college, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019.]()
65 of 200![In this Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, file photo, a man rides an electric bike in Pyongyang, North Korea.]()
66 of 200![Children walk past a pedestrian underpass near the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, Jan. 28, 2019.]()
67 of 200![People cross a road in Pyongyang, Jan. 26, 2019.]()
68 of 200![A man rides an electric bike in Pyongyang, Jan. 28, 2019.]()
69 of 200![A man rides his bicycle as tree branches cast shadows onto an apartment building in Pyongyang, Jan. 28, 2019.]()
70 of 200![A man is dwarfed by an apartment building in Pyongyang, Jan. 28, 2019.]()
71 of 200![Attendees shout slogans during a rally in support of a new year's address by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, Jan. 4, 2019, Much of Kim's speech focused on North Korea's moribund economy, saying that improving people's lives was his top priority and tackling energy shortages was an urgent task.]()
72 of 200![Attendees shout slogans during a rally in support of a new year's address by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, Jan. 4, 2019]()
73 of 200![Government officials perform mass rhythmic exercises while taking part in the first sports day of the new year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Jan. 13, 2019.]()
74 of 200![Government officials perform mass rhythmic exercises while taking part in the first sports day of the new year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Jan. 13, 2019.]()
75 of 200![Children jumprope and play folk games in front of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang, Jan. 1, 2019.]()
76 of 200![A man walks past a sign for underground pedestrian crossing as people remove snow from the sidewalk in downtown Pyongyang, Dec. 17, 2018.]()
77 of 200![Men read books at one of the reading rooms at The Grand People's Study House in in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018.]()
78 of 200![North Koreans sit inside a trolley bus in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018.]()
79 of 200![North Koreans wait for a trolley bus at a bus stop in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018.]()
80 of 200![North Koreans walk on a pedestrian crossing bridge in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018.]()
81 of 200![A North Korean woman talks on her mobile phone as she skates at an ice rink in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018.]()
82 of 200![North Korean men walk past portraits of their late leaders Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018.]()
83 of 200![Korean People's Army soldiers leave after bowing before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il during National Memorial Day on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on Dec. 17, 2018. North Korea is marking the seventh anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il.]()
84 of 200![Pyongyang residents prepare to lay flowers at the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il during National Memorial Day on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on Dec. 17, 2018.]()
85 of 200![This is a traffic officer in Pyongyang, Dec. 2, 2018.]()
86 of 200![Commuters ride a tram in Pyongyang, Dec. 2, 2018]()
87 of 200![A man stands before the city skyline on a viewing deck of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, Dec. 2, 2018.]()
88 of 200![A bride and groom walk before the Juche tower and Taedong river on a foggy evening in Pyongyang, Dec. 2, 2018.]()
89 of 200![Pedestrians walk past the portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il across Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, Dec. 3, 2018]()
90 of 200![A man rides an electric bicycle as the Tower of the Juche Idea is silhouetted against the sunrise in Pyongyang, Oct. 27, 2018.]()
91 of 200![Dancers perform during "The Glorious Country" mass games at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, Oct. 25, 2018.]()
92 of 200![A welcoming committee receives a delegation of performers and entertainers from China at Pyongyang International Airport, Nov. 2, 2018]()
93 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel wave from a motorcade in Pyongyang, Nov. 4, 2018.]()
94 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel review the honor guards while Kim's wife Ri Sol Ju and Diaz-Canel's wife Lis Cuesta Peraza walk behind during the Cuban leader's departure at Pyongyang airport, Nov. 6, 2018]()
95 of 200![Women cross a road in Pyongyang, Oct. 27, 2018.]()
96 of 200![People cross a road in Pyongyang, Oct. 22, 2018.]()
97 of 200![A van enters a tunnel on Pyongyang-Wonsan highway near the city of Wonsan, Oct. 22, 2018.]()
98 of 200![Men smoke as they chat outside a supermarket in downtown Pyongyang, Oct. 21, 2018.]()
99 of 200![A man looks out from a tram in Pyongyang, Oct. 22, 2018.]()
100 of 200![North Koreans perform during an event, as part of the Inter-Korean summit, at the May Day stadium in Pyongyang Sept. 19, 2018]()
101 of 200![This is a general view of heaven lake and Mount Paektu in Mount Paektu, North Korea.]()
102 of 200![South Korean President Moon Jae-in collects water from heaven lake at the bottom of Mount Paektu during a visit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un on Sept. 20, 2018 in Mount Paektu, North Korea. Kim and Moon meet for the Inter-Korean summit talks after the 1945 division of the peninsula, where they will discuss ways to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.]()
103 of 200![A view of the sunrise over the city of Pyongyang from Koryo hotel in Pyongyang, Sept. 19, 2018.]()
104 of 200![South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and his wife Kim Jung-sook, second from right, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from left, and his wife Ri Sol Ju ride a cable car to Mount Paektu in North Korea. The two Korean leaders took to the road for the final day of their summit.]()
105 of 200![Visitors look at bears at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.]()
106 of 200![A North Korean man looks through a device to study the vision of a dinosaur, at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.]()
107 of 200![North Korean bride and groom pose for a photo at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.]()
108 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Kumsanpho Fish Pickling Factory with his wife Ri Sol Ju in South Hwanghae Province, North Korea, Aug. 8, 2018.]()
109 of 200![North Korean athletes, headed by North Korean Vice Sports Minister Won Kil U, prepare to leave the Pyongyang international airport in Pyongyang to participate in the 18th Asian Games Aug. 10, 2018.]()
110 of 200![Twenty year old instructor Kim Ju Yang holds a North Korean-made assault rifle as she poses for a portrait at the Meari shooting range in Pyongyang, July 29, 2018. The range offers customers the opportunity to shoot a number of North Korean and foreign-made firearms, most of which have been modified to fire .22 caliber ammunition which costs one US dollar per round.]()
111 of 200![Tour guide Ju Hye Yon poses for a portrait on a viewing deck of the Arch of Triumph, before the city skyline of Pyongyang, June 16, 2018.]()
112 of 200![Children perform with traditional instruments at the Children's Palace in Pyongyang, July 26, 2018.
The Children's Palace is a regular fixture on tour group schedules and features arts, dance, and musical performances by children.]()
113 of 200![Students take part in a mass dance event marking the anniversary of the end of the Korean War on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, July 27, 2018.]()
114 of 200![Students pose for a photo after paying their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the anniversary of the end of the Korean War, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang July 27, 2018.]()
115 of 200![A taxi driver waits for customers in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 26, 2018.]()
116 of 200![Girls dance in a studio at the Mangyongdae Children's Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 26, 2018. Mangyongdae Children's Palace is for talented school children to attend extracurricular classes and a popular place for tourists to visit during their stay in the capital.]()
117 of 200![North Koreans spend their afternoon in an indoor swimming pool at Munsu Water Park during a hot day in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, July 24, 2018.]()
118 of 200![A woman has her hair cut at a hair salon at Munsu Water Park during in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, July 24, 2018.]()
119 of 200![A man carries a taxidermy falcon on the basket of his bicycle in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, July 24, 2018.]()
120 of 200![Korean People's Army soldiers bow before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, to mark the 24th anniversary of the death of Kim Il Sung, at Mansu Hill on in Pyongyang July 8, 2018.]()
121 of 200![People leave flowers as they pay their respects in front of bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Munsu Hill in Pyongyang July 7, 2018.]()
122 of 200![A woman walks past a boy on the street in Pyongyang July 7, 2018.]()
123 of 200![Women clean a square outside the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang July 7, 2018.]()
124 of 200![Animal specimens decorate a class room for biology at Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, an elite military educational establishment, in Pyongyang, June 21, 2018. The school provides basic all-round education but with a strong military emphasis as many of the pupils are expected to go on to senior careers in the military.]()
125 of 200![People applaud as a seal, led by a trainer, walks past by during a dolphin show at an amusement park in Pyongyang, June 22, 2018.]()
126 of 200![People walk on the street near the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang, July 5, 2018.]()
127 of 200![South Korean women's basketball players practice at Ryugyong Chung Ju-yung Gymnasium for exhibition games in Pyongyang, July 3, 2018.]()
128 of 200![A worker at Okryugwan restaurant in Pyongyang serves 'naengmyeon,' a cold noodle dish that is the restaurant's specialty, during a welcoming dinner for South Korea's basketball delegation in Pyongyang, July 3, 2018.]()
129 of 200![A South Korean journalist has their identity checked from North Korea officials as she arrives at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport July 3, 2018.]()
130 of 200![Fans cheer during an inter-Korean basketball match at Ryugyong Chung Ju-yung Gymnasium in Pyongyang, July 5, 2018.]()
131 of 200![People walk on a pedestrian bridge with apartment buildings in the background, in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 20, 2018. High rise apartments are a common form of accommodation for people living in the capital city.]()
132 of 200![An employee in traditional dress stands at the entrance of a restaurant to greet customers in Kaesong, North Korea on June 20, 2018.]()
133 of 200![A North Korean woman pauses during a visit at a trick mirror house at an amusement park in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2018.]()
134 of 200![School children play in a shooting arcade at an amusement park in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2018.]()
135 of 200![People enjoy a ride at an amusement park in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2018.]()
136 of 200![Passengers ride a trolley in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2018. The city trolley is one of the more common forms of public transportation among North Koreans living in the capital city.]()
137 of 200![A North Korea People's Army (KPA) soldier stands at the entrance to a tunnel at the Punggye-ri nuclear test facility prior to a demolition 'ceremony' May 24, 2018.]()
138 of 200![This is a demolition 'ceremony' of North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test facility, May 25, 2018 .]()
139 of 200![Kim Jong Un inspects the completed Koam-Tapchon Railways in Pyongyang, May 25, 2018.]()
140 of 200![Kim Jong Un inspects the completed Koam-Tapchon Railways in Pyongyang, May 25, 2018.]()
141 of 200![South Korean journalists arrive at North Korea's Kalma airport in Wonsan, May 23, 2018. Pyongyang has given South Korean reporters a last minute green-light to witness the slated demolition of North Korea's nuclear test site.]()
142 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shake hands at the Workers' Party of Korea headquarters in Pyongyang on May 9, 2018.]()
143 of 200![Wang Yi, state councelor and foreign minister of the People's Republic of China and his deligation visit the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, May 2, 2018.]()
144 of 200![This is the former North Korean Workers Party Headquarters in Cheorwon, April 22, 2018.]()
145 of 200![This is the former North Korean Workers Party Headquarters in Cheorwon, April 22, 2018.]()
146 of 200![Korean People's Army soldiers arrive to pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang April 15, 2018.]()
147 of 200![This is the Pyongyang city skyline and the Taedong river, April 4, 2018.]()
148 of 200![Staff members stand before preserved 'flat-fish' in a science classroom at the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy outside Pyongyang, April 10, 2018.
The academy was originally created for orphans who lost parents in the Korean War, and currently has 1000 students.]()
149 of 200![Spectators walk across Kim Il Sung square as they arrive to watch a fireworks display during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang on April 15, 2018.]()
150 of 200![Visitors by the gate of the Central zoo in Pyongyang, April 15, 2018.]()
151 of 200![People hold a dance party to celebrate the 106th birth anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang, in this photo released on April, 15, 2018.]()
152 of 200![This photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency, shows Kim Jong-un chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, together with his wife Ri Sol-ju speaking to the cast after enjoying the ballet choreodrama 'Red Women Company' performed by a Chinese art troupe at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater, April 16, 2018.]()
153 of 200![This April 15, 2018 picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 16, 2018 shows fireworks being displayed to celebrate the 106th birth anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang.]()
154 of 200![Spectators watch fireworks over the Taedong river during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang April 15, 2018. April 15 is known as the Day of the Sun.]()
155 of 200![Students participate in a 'mass dance' event outside the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium as
thousands of people gathered to dance in celebration of late leader Kim Jong Il.]()
156 of 200![This is the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, April 9, 2018.]()
157 of 200![Students participate in a 'mass dance' event outside the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium as
thousands of people gathered to dance in celebration of late leader Kim Jong Il.]()
158 of 200![A light show displays a North Korean flag on top the Ryugyong hotel in Pyongyang April 9, 2018.]()
159 of 200![Runners compete in the Pyongyang International Marathon with a backdrop of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 8, 2018. Hundreds of overseas runners hit the streets in Pyongyang for North Korea's annual marathon.]()
160 of 200![Children fly kites during Lunar New Year festivities on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang Feb. 16, 2018.]()
161 of 200![North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un shakes hands with South Korean chief delegator Chung Eui-yong during a meeting in Pyongyang, March 6, 2018.]()
162 of 200![The North Korean delegation of athletes, supporters and journalists arrive in Pyongyang after taking part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, Feb. 26, 2018]()
163 of 200![Visitors take smartphone photos at the '8th National Cooking Competition' at the Pyongyang Noodle House in Pyongyang, Feb. 12, 2018.]()
164 of 200![A chef prepares a dish during a demonstration at the '8th National Cooking Competition' at the Pyongyang Noodle House in Pyongyang, Feb. 12, 2018.]()
165 of 200![A foreign visitor stands for a photo with a Korean People's Army soldier in front of a portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong IL, at the 22nd 'Kimjongilia Festival' flower festival marking the upcoming 'Day of Shining Star', the anniversary of the Kim's birth, in Pyongyang Feb.13, 2018.]()
166 of 200![North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released this photo taken Feb. 8, 2018 on Feb. 9, 2018. It shows North Korean soldiers marching during the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang.]()
167 of 200![North Korea put some of its military hardware and soldiers on parade a day before the Winter Olympics open in the South.]()
168 of 200![In this image made from video by North Korea's KRT, military tanks are seen during a parade in Pyongyang.]()
169 of 200![The satellite Deimos-2 captured this photo of Pyongyang today during their military parade, Feb. 8, 2018. On the left of this photo you can see armored vehicles in the street during the parade.]()
170 of 200![In this image made from video released by KRT, North Korean soldiers march during a military parade in Pyongyang, Feb. 8 2018.]()
171 of 200![In this image made from video released by KRT on Feb. 8, 2018, a military parade is held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang.]()
172 of 200![In this an image made from video by North Korea's KRT, a military parade is held in Pyongyang, Feb. 8, 2018.]()
173 of 200![In this image made from video by North Korea's KRT, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, attends a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea held a massive military parade highlighted by intercontinental ballistic missiles in its capital one day before South Korea hosts the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.]()
174 of 200![A North Korean military guide leads a tour of the USS Pueblo in Pyongyang, Jan. 24, 2018. The Pueblo, an American spy ship, was attacked and captured by North Korea 50 years ago. The ship is the only commissioned US Navy ship held by a foreign government.]()
175 of 200![A 'super blood blue moon' rises above the Ryugyong hotel in Pyongyang, Jan. 31, 2018. The cosmic event not seen in 36 years was glimpsed in parts of western North America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Australia.]()
176 of 200![Schoolchildren shovel snow Jan. 22, 2018, in Pyongyang as temperatures were forecast to drop below -2 degrees.]()
177 of 200![Women use drums and flags to cheer on commuters during the morning rush hour in Pyongyang Feb. 2, 2018. The cheering squads, intended to motivate people on their way to work or school, are a common morning ritual in the North Korean capital.]()
178 of 200![A couple ice skate at the Outdoor Skating Rink in Pyongyang Feb. 1, 2018.]()
179 of 200![A group of officials of ministries and national institutions run on the occasion of the first sports day this year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 14, 2018.]()
180 of 200![A mass rally organizes in the Kim Il Sung Square vowing to carry through the tasks set forth by the country's leader Kim Jong Un in his New Year address in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 4, 2018.]()
181 of 200![Participants perform mass rhythmic exercise on the occasion of the first sports day this year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 14, 2018.]()
182 of 200![Children stand before an ice sculpture at the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival, marking the new year on Kim Il Sung Square Dec. 31, 2, 17.]()
183 of 200![This is an overview of the second day of the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Dec. 22, 2017.]()
184 of 200![Passengers wait for their flights in the departures lobby of Pyongyang's international airport, Dec. 23, 2017. Despite being one of the least Internet-friendly countries in the world, North Korea's main Internet provider recently set up an airport WiFi network that is available to travelers who have cleared customs. Access to WiFi and the Internet in general remains beyond the reach of most North Koreans.]()
185 of 200![Fireworks usher in the New Year in Pyongyang, Jan. 1, 2018]()
186 of 200![Children play as others gather on Kim Il Sung Square to celebrate the New Year, Jan. 1, 2018, in Pyongyang.]()
187 of 200![People offer flowers to the statues of their late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Mansu Hill, marking the sixth anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's death in Pyongyang, Dec. 17, 2017.]()
188 of 200![A street in central Pyongyang, Nov. 15, 2017]()
189 of 200![Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers bow before statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il to mark the sixth anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-Il, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang Dec. 17, 2017.]()
190 of 200![Song Song-Hui (C) sits with relatives gathered at her apartment in Pyongyang Nov. 17, 2017. North and South Korea are radically different societies, one ruled by the same family for decades and the other a freewheeling democracy and thrusting economy, but one thing unites them - fermented cabbage. Kimchi, originally a means of preserving the vegetable during winter and which can vary from mild to fiery, has been a staple part of virtually every meal on the now-divided peninsula for centuries.]()
191 of 200![This Dec. 8, 2017 photo released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows Pyongyang residents greeting officers of Hwasong-15 missile test launch in Pyongyang.]()
192 of 200![North Korean soldiers attend a mass rally in Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the North's declaration it had achieved full nuclear statehood, Dec. 1, 2017. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un declared the country had achieved a "historic cause" of becoming a nuclear state, its state media said Nov. 29, after the country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier in the day.]()
193 of 200![This Dec. 12, 2017 photo released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows scientists attending a reception hosted by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea at the Mokran House and the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang.]()
194 of 200![In a photo taken on Nov. 19, 2017, a woman and child pull a cart loaded with wood along a road near Kiliju on North Korea's northeast coast.]()
195 of 200![In a photo taken on Nov. 18, 2017, a woman carrying cabbage rides a bicycle past a beach in North Korea's eastern port city of Wonsan.]()
196 of 200![North Koreans attend a mass rally in Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the North's declaration it had achieved full nuclear statehood on Dec. 1, 2017.]()
197 of 200![In a photo taken on Nov. 21, 2017, a man pushes a bicycle past a factory in the industrial city of Chongjin on North Korea's northeast coast.]()
198 of 200![This photo taken on Nov. 19, 2017 shows cyclists passing along a road on the outskirts of the industrial city of Chongjin on North Korea's northeast coast.]()
199 of 200![A man waits to cross a street in Rason.
at the northeastern tip of North Korea, Nov. 21, 2017.]()
200 of 200
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow vehemently insists that the country has miraculously avoided the coronavirus, while its neighbor Iran has confirmed over 100,000 cases as of Wednesday, according to the Johns Hopkins website.
Robert Saunders, professor of international relations at Farmingdale State College (SUNY), said one of the reasons why the country has no confirmed cases may be due to lack of testing.
"Willful ignorance can be framed as victory," he said.
'Bad economies are as hurtful to health as viruses’: US lurches toward reopening despite ominous coronavirus models
‘All night, my eyes are open’:: After mass job losses, Americans forced to choose: Pay bills or buy food?
United Nations resident coordinator Elena Panova told the BBC that Turkmenistan is testing everyone who arrives in the country exhibiting symptoms, relying strictly on official information.
However, experts agree that official information from Turkmenistan is notoriously unreliable. Saunders believes there are definitely coronavirus cases in the country and said the government could be working hard to suppress those test results by controlling social media and manipulating death certificates.
Panova also told the BBC Turkmen authorities are working with UN agencies to plan for a possible outbreak, closing most of its land border crossings and canceling flights.
Despite these measures, daily life in Turkmenistan appears as normal. In mid-April, hundreds of soccer fans crowded a stadium in the capital, Ashgabat, to watch its domestic teams play.
Lesotho
J. Stephen Morrison, who directs global work at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as the think tank’s senior vice president, said there are a couple of reasons why Lesotho could be successful in managing their case counts.
He said the mountainous country is mostly remote and difficult to access, making social distancing easier than other more populated countries. South Africa, which surrounds Lesotho, imposed a strict lockdown early in the pandemic, which kept its numbers low and may have inadvertently benefited its neighbor.
Lesotho, like many other African countries, also has experience managing pandemics. Methods such as social isolation and contact tracing are well established in parts of southern and eastern Africa.
Learn more about all the ways you can save money, protect your resources and do the most good to help your neighbors. USA TODAY
“There’s something to be said for having those durable and resilient infrastructures and having had that political experience of going through an epidemic where at its peak 20 years ago was threatening to destabilize these societies,” Morrison said.
While all this may be true, he still believes there may be some unaccounted cases in the country.
Although Lesotho closed its borders March 10, Morrison said Lesotho’s economy is very dependent on South Africa and the history of migration between the two countries puts into question the lockdown’s effectiveness.
Lesotho is also in the midst of political turmoil as Prime Minister Thomas Thabane is charged with murdering his estranged wife, who was assassinated in 2017. According to Deutsche Welle, Thabane struggles to hold onto power deploying the country’s army while citizens demand his immediate resignation.
Morrison said this may have distracted the government from focusing on managing the pandemic.
“Lesotho is a country that has been prone to instability,” he said. “That sort of instability doesn’t speak well to control over a virus.”
America's Food Chain: ‘Essential worker just means you’re on the death track’
'Dangerous dynamic': Coronavirus threatens new 'Cold War' between US and China
While experts question whether any of these countries are truly free of the coronavirus, Morrison said what's more important is to make sure they're prepared in case its residents do come in contact with the virus.
"They all have to play the long game," he said. "They may be successful up to a point for now, but their population doesn't have immunity from this."
He argues the international health community must ensure these countries have sufficient testing, PPE and the hospital capacity to successfully manage the pandemic if it somehow appears. Morrison said trade, migration and travel will certainly reintroduce the virus when the world begins to reopen its borders.
"If they want to preserve their low rates, remain relatively or largely free (of the virus), ultimately they have to create the capacity to detect, respond and control," he concluded.
Contributing: Deirdre Shesgreen, USA TODAY; Associated Press. Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
Join the Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs
Comments